When Our Worlds Collide Book Blast

When Our Worlds Collide Book Blast

About the book:

Akriti has led a pretty much sheltered life. 

Zayn has been shuttled from city to city when he was growing up. 

She is comfortable watching her life from the sidelines. 

He wants to feel rooted to a place he can call ‘home’. 

They meet each other quite by chance. 

And both seize the chance to be someone they both need in their lives: 

For Zayn, it’s a 'Partner-In-Crime'. 

For Akriti, someone who just knows how to be there for her… 

When their worlds collide, 

It is not what either of them expected it to be. 

Zayn has a steady girlfriend. And Akriti has a crush on him. 

What happens when these two become friends? 

The biggest adventure of their lives? Or the road to heartbreak? 

What happens when two completely different people collide? 

Do they become friends? Or, is their friendship doomed from the start? 

'When Our Worlds Collide' is the story of two twenty-three-year olds, Who are finally growing up and finding their feet in the world. 

A tale of friendship and love, crushes and betrayals, messes and second chances, Marriage and divorce… and the elusive happily ever after! 


Buy Links:

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Buy Links: Meet (Most of) the characters of When Our Worlds Collide


- Akriti – The 23-year-old protagonist who runs her mother’s little café. She lives a lonely existence because she is too afraid of letting people get close to her, for she fears they would leave her and cause unbearable pain.



- Zayn – He is Akriti’s ex-classmate, Nimmi’s boyfriend, who comes into her life pretty much by accident. He forces Akriti to come out of her shell, and is pretty much one of her only friends.



- Ayoub – He is a 21-year-old, who helps Akriti run the café. He likes her but knows that he shouldn’t act on those feelings…yet.



- Akriti’s Mother – In order to save Akriti from a very bitter truth, her mother alienates her from her life.



- Akriti’s Father – He had left his family for another woman when Akriti was 13 years old.



- Gia – Ayoub’s cousin, who happens to come into Akriti’s café a lot.



- Esha – Gia’s best friend. She also harbors a crazy crush on Ayoub.



- Ryan – Gia and Esha’s friend and classmate.



- Nancy – Akriti’s father’s fiancée.


- Riley – Nancy’s son from her previous marriage.

About the Author:

Aniesha Brahma knew she wanted to be a writer since she was six years old. She was schooled in Dolna Day School and went on to pursue B.A., M.A., and M.Phil in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur Univeristy. She currently lives in Kolkata, with her family and five pet cats. The Secret Proposal was her debut novel, followed by The Guitar Girl. She was a contributing author with her story The Difference, in the anthology: Voices, Old & New. When Our Worlds Collide is her third work of fiction, and first novella.

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Book Blast of Faith of the Nine

~ Book Blast ~

 About the book:

The Third Yuga is slowly drawing to a close. Nam – the greatest Empire on Janani – is going to face some fierce winds of change. Seers foresee omens of death and destruction in the return of the Banished One – A God who will claim the ashes of this world as revenge. While out in the streets, rumours abound - of older forgotten powers stirring.

Caught in this maelstrom of a power struggle between Gods are three ordinary lives: General Fateh, the most celebrated soldier in Nam who starts to question his faith, Ishan – a gifted orphan who struggles to comprehend his destiny and Abhaya – a young monk in search of truths about this world. Their choices and actions will shape the destiny of this scarred world that becomes the playground for vindictive Gods.

In a world where Rakshasas arise out of left-over traces of Maaya and twilight forms the portal to countless worlds around us for Daityas and Yakshis to dance through, a God is only as powerful as those who believe.And when Gods rise, faith of men will be tested…And broken.

Buy Links:

Paperback: Flipkart * LandmarkOntheNet * Infibeam * Pustak Mandi

eBook: Newshunt * Google Play

Read an Excerpt:

Somewhere deep within the palace, wind chimes were

ringing like crazy, deep and sonorous, like temple bells gone rogue. Bajah

rushed through the dimly lit long corridors of the palace, her heart hammering

inside her. If she didn’t reach her lady in time, she was doomed, and so was

the child.

The child! Was it really going to be as foretold in

the Apocrypha? Then again, the Book of Truths just pointed out the various

branches of the future; the one branch on which they would walk wasn’t

disclosed. Could she choose? Could anyone choose? She was confused and afraid.

All she knew was that she had to get to Lady Anuskaya, and alone and terrified

within the Confinement, she would go crazy and not be able to manage the

childbirth. The thought brought chills to her mind. If the Inner Council were

to know that one of the Blessed acolytes was pregnant, then they would both be

executed; the acolyte and the unborn child. Nobody broke this cardinal rule.

Bajah still didn’t know who the father was, but that was the last thing on her

mind. She had to save her mistress, and

the thought gnawed away at her soul like a flesh-worm. Would she be able to

manage on her own?

The bells tolling in the distance urged her on. Her

light feet pattered soundlessly, flying past the carpeted walkway. Suddenly,

her balance shifted. Something snagged against her cloak, tightening up against

her throat as she slipped forwards. She croaked, her helpless arms flailing and

soundless screams stifled as the cloak tightened. Someone had tripped her and

was trying to strangle her! The pressure suddenly let up and she slipped.

The carpeted floor slammed into the side of her face

and her cloak ripped as she rolled away. A dark figure stepped out of the

crevasse in the wall, the lamp in hand obscuring the face in the gloomy

shadows. A falsetto voice greeted her.

“Little birdie, flitting freely, flying fast, you

won’t last … so sit awhile and rest your pile.”

The lamp swung in her face, as the person squatted

down and peered at her. In the dark, a pair of wolfish white teeth shone

through, leering at her. She knew the

voice. Cheema Okuri—a guard inside the Shikshadhaam, the House of Learning,

where acolytes lived. A kill dog for his masters at the Inner Council.

“Do you like the poem? I made it … as a paean for you.

Maybe I will coach the cook to sing it for your funeral, huh?” He grinned,

swinging the lamp. The shadows played hide and seek on his face. “Pruksa’s

blessings, little birdie, you really oughta slow down. Don’t you know, the

corridors within Shikshadhaam are treacherous places? Nasty places where you

slip and break your neck ... you follow, li’l birdie?”

“What do you want, Cheema?” Bajah sat up, mustering as

much dignity as she could.

“What I want … ah! No time for social chit chats, I

see?” He squatted down, bringing his face closer to her’s. “You seemed to be in

a tearing hurry, and that set my warning bells a-tingling, Bajah Sudhanshu. You

know that feeling, don’t you? When this multi-legged creature walks up and down

your spine, your heart beats faster and you’re left feeling a little dry in the

mouth. It’s called suspicion. And

when I see birdies trying to take flight without letting me know, then somethin’ don’t add up right. Must I remind you that

within the confines of the Dhaam, anything that flies, flies with just one

wing, the other being busy protecting itself, lest it get shot down? Ye with me

so far, li’l birdie?”

Bajah nodded, dull fear thudding through her like

bellows in a forge. Did he know about the

lady? Did the council suspect? Displaying an outwardly calm that she didn’t

feel at all, Bajah stood up, “Cheema, you are not threatening me now, are you?”

Cheema laughed, “I always maintained that birdies

oughta be caged. Nooo, li’l birdie, I am not threatening you. Charged with

keeping the acolytes safe within the Dhaam, this hurried flight of yours

ruffled quite a few feathers on the upper levels. I’m just a messenger, birdie.

Just like you. So, now … d’ye want to tell me where ye’re flying with such

haste?”

Bajah turned her back onto Cheema, making sure he

didn’t see the flint of fear that sparked in her eyes. “Lady Anuskaya’s been

taken sick. She wanted me to bring her the Book of Solace and fetch the Castle Vaidyas to care for her.”

“The Book? An acolyte demanded for the Book?” Cheema’s

tone had an edge to it that Bajah hated, the tone twisting in her gut like a

stuck knife. ‘Does this lowly guard know that the acolytes aren’t allowed to

read the Book, not without one of the priests around?’ Cheema’s sharp question

brought her back to the rain-lashed parapet of the castle.

“So what are you doing here? The Haveli is to the North. The gardens ought to be the

easiest route to the Haveli to get the Book?”

“I have to collect the Lady’s medicines,” Bajah lied,

her face taut. Cheema nodded, holding the lights over the handrails, peering

out into the cold night, “Some kind of a freak windstorm whipping in from the

Odhaan. You ought to keep indoors and not take this route. I will accompany you

to the living quarters. Oh wait, where’s the Book?”

Bajah bit her lips, blanched white with fear. This

wasn’t going good. As with the windstorm and the rain Gods, this was fast going

downhill. Mists of raindrops sprayed onto her face as the winds shifted. The

sky cleaved, as purplish lightning crashed and rolled across the clouds. The

smell of acrid burnt ozone hung heavy on the parapet as Bajah’s heart raced. A

sudden gust of wind swept across and doused the lantern lights, blanketing the

corridor in complete darkness. Cheema cursed over the sounds of wind ripping

through the dark hallway, the curtains near the far oaken doors billowing and

flapping hard. He knelt down to light the fuse inside the lantern.

It was now or never.

  

About the Author:

Sachin discovered Tolkien in his teens, alternative rock as a new adult and digital marketing in pretty much his late twenties. These still form a large wedge in his circle of life. Travel, radio and theatre have also figured in that ever-expanding and diminishing circle.

On perhaps a more prosaic note, he is an engineer from BITS Pilani and holds an MBA from Indian School of Business. Attribute the love for numbers and pie-charts to this. He is currently based in Bangalore and happily married to Harini. He spends an inordinately large amount of time chasing after his two dogs (who love the free life a bit too much) when he is not busy dreaming up fantasy worlds full of monsters. And beautiful Yakshis, of course.

He can usually be found ranting on twitter under the handle @xenosach, devouring books and talking about them on his blog. You can always stalk him online at his official website.

Release Day Blitz of Soul Warrior by Falguni Kothari

About the book:

Twisted myths. Discretion advised. 

Fight fate, or succumb to destiny?

In the dark Age of Kali, the Soul Warrior alone stands guard over the Human Realm, protecting its denizens from evil-willed asuras or demons. When a trick of fate appoints him guru to a motley crew of godlings, he agrees to train them as demon hunters against his better judgment. Suddenly, Lord Karna is not only battling the usual asuras with sinister agendas, but also rebellious students and a fault-ridden past.

Spanning the cosmic realms of mythic India, here is a tale of a band of supernatural warriors who come together over a singular purpose: the salvation of Karna’s secret child.

Book Links:

Kobo * iBooks * Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon Canada

Read an Excerpt:

CHAPTER ZERO

DWANDA-YUDDHA: THE DUEL

The Himalayan Mountains.

Five thousand years ago.

         

Absolute darkness shrouded the Human Realm, and had for three days and three nights. Some believed the occurrence was prophetic, like the prolonged amavasya or new moon night that had heralded the Great Kuru War two thousand years ago. The war had given birth to the dark Age of Kali, the age of asura. In contrast, hope was ripe that this event would trigger the Age of Light. But the Bard wasn’t here to succumb to superstition. 

The first day without the sun’s light had spread confusion and chaos across the realm. The second day had brought desperation in the breasts of humans and fear in the belly of Celestials. The third day—today—was a feast for the asuras. Death lay everywhere. 

The human world burned without its sun. How soon before the Heavens went up in flames?

The Bard’s troubled eyes reread the last line. Then he deliberately scratched it off, lifting his long, pointed talon from the parchment made of dry palm leaf. With a sigh, he rested his aching hand on his trembling thigh. He would spare a moment to ease his body, and his mind from the strain of observation and due recordkeeping. If he didn’t, he’d forget his duty as Witness of the Cosmos, and begin to question fate. 

Despite the fire that crackled close to his right knee, and the feathered form of his upper body, he was cold. An icy wind had settled around the Pinnacle of Pinnacles, where he sat cross-legged on a seat made of rock and snow. He’d chosen this perch because it gave him an impartial view of the events happening in the world. He was the Bard, entrusted with keeping the Canons of the Age of Kali, just as the Soul Warrior was entrusted with keeping the Human Realm safe from asuras. Would they both fail in their duty today?

The Bard shook off the heavy despair the darkness had brought into the world. He mustn’t judge. He shouldn’t question. He would sharpen the talon on his forefinger, dip it into the vessel of ink kept warm by the fire, and write this tale. That was all he could do. Be the witness to history.

So he raised his feathered hand and began to write again while his eyes, sparked with power, knowledge and magic, saw clearly events unfolding from great distances. A thousand kilometers to his right, Indra, the God of War and Thunder, fought the Dragon. Indra did not fare well. But that didn’t concern the Bard as much as the clash between the Soul Warrior and the Stone Demon. Over and over, his eagle eyes were drawn to the duel taking place in the heart of the world, not only because it was a magnificent battle to behold, for it was, but because its outcome would decide mankind’s destiny.

The Soul Warrior was more than a great warrior. Karna was a great soul. Fair, honorable, brave and resilient, he was the perfect protector of the Human Realm. Of course, there were other reasons he’d been chosen to fill the office of Soul Warrior—there always were when Gods and demons were involved. But Karna’s existence was a testament to righteous action and if anyone could bring back the day, it would be him. 

But how did one vanquish stone, the Bard wondered?

Avarice and cruelty, two nefarious desires, had made Vrtra and Vala attack the Human Realm. Three days ago the Dragon had swallowed the Seven Rivers in the north, and the Stone Demon had imprisoned the Sun God, his daughter, and all the cattle of the region in his cave.

The Bard paused his writing as a thin vein of lightning winked across the skies, but without the accompanying roar. Indra’s strength waned. His thunderbolt hadn’t left Vrtra screaming in pain this time. The Bard spared a moment’s attention on the duel, just enough to note that the Maruts, the Celestial Storm-gods, waited in the clouds to rescue their god-king in case of a calamity. Indra would survive even in defeat. Of that, the Bard was sure.

But Karna had no one at his back. His might and god-powers had depleted without the sun’s healing warmth and light. His divine astras, weapons, had not slowed the Stone Demon down, at all. Only the conviction that he could not fail his godsire, his sister, and the innocents under his protection drove him now. His birth family had once abandoned him to his fate, but he would not abandon them to theirs—such was the greatness of Karna.

The Bard crossed out the last observation. No questions. No judgment. No praise, either. The canons would be free of all emotion. He wasn’t here to embellish history or glorify the history-makers, as some bards were wont to do. 

It wasn’t embellishment to write that the foothills of Cedi were drenched in the Soul Warrior’s blood. Or observe the gushing wounds on his body, despite his armor, that would make the hardiest of warriors bellow in agony, but not him. It wasn’t embellishment to write that the Heavens were empty for the Celestials had come to Earth to watch the battle, firelight cupped in their palms to light the warrior’s way. 

The Naga, the Serpent People, also looked on, hissing from the mouth of the portal that led to their underground realm beneath the hills. The Serpent King will not choose a side. Vrtra and Vala were half Naga, after all. All across the Human Realm, demons roamed free, taking advantage of the darkness and preying on human flesh and human souls. It was a terrible moment in history. The asuras had the upper hand in the eponymous age of Demon Kali.

Vala did not have arms and half a leg, but still he came at Karna. He had an ace up his sleeve. There were plenty of creatures about, an entire mountain close at hand. He began to chant the spell of soul transference. It was the darkest of all magic, the possession of another’s soul. Soon, he would be whole again and stronger than before.

Battered and bleeding, the Soul Warrior veered away from the Stone Demon. He leapt over boulders and charred vegetation. The onlookers called him a coward. Had he forfeit the duel? Has he forsaken mankind? 

Karna dove for Manav-astra, the spear of mankind, he’d thrown aside yesterday after his bow, Vijaya, had shattered under repeated use. In one smooth motion, he rolled, picked up the astra, coming up in the spear-thrower’s stretch. His tattered lower garment billowed about him as a gust of wind shot through the air. His muscled torso glistened with blood and sweat, tightened as he pulled the arm holding the spear back. 

He meant to throw Manav-astra at Vala. A futile attempt, to be sure? As long as Vala was made of stone, broken or not, his body was impregnable. Karna should have waited for Vala to transfer his soul to an onlooker. Then Karna should have vanquished the possessed creature. 

Taunting laughter reverberated through the foothills of Cedi. Vala had reached the same conclusion. The Celestials looked at each other in angry silence, unable to interfere. A dwanda-yuddha duel was fought between two opponents of equal size and strength alone. The humans hadn’t stopped screaming in three days, the din simply background noise now. 

The Bard scribbled the observations onto the parchment in no particular order. He wished he was a painter, for surely this was a picture worth a thousand words.

The demon hobbled toward the warrior, who stood still as stone with his arm drawn taught behind him. Then finally, with a roaring chant the Soul Warrior shifted his weight from his back leg to his front and let fly Manav-astra at the Stone Demon with all his remaining might. 

Karna didn’t wait to see the ramifications of his action. And there were plenty to come. He ran into the mountain cave to free Vala’s hostages. Within moments the rock face rent in half, and bright streams of light speared through the terrible darkness. A new day had dawned on the Human Realm after three days of perpetual night.

The sun’s power was too bright, too full of hope. Yet, the Bard looked on pensively, wondering if the Soul Warrior knew this wasn’t a victory. It was merely a reprieve.

About the Author:

Falguni Kothari is a New York-based South Asian author and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a semi-professional background in Indian Classical dance. She’s published in India in contemporary romance with global e-book availability; Bootie and the Beast (Harlequin Mills and Boon) and It’s Your Move, Wordfreak! (Rupa & Co.), and launches a mythic fantasy series with Soul Warrior (The Age of Kali, #1)

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Pinterest

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Author Interview of Master the Mystery of Human Nature

Author Interview of Master the Mystery of Human Nature by Scott.

About the book:

Life is a mystery, on planet Earth, where the billions of people live their lives day to day, most not knowing what their purpose is. We can't figure out life's answers because some of us don't even know the questions to ask. It can be so confusing-sometimes even a bit maddening. In Master the Mystery of Human Nature, author D. Scott Trettenero tackles the vast and mysterious subject of human nature and unravels its secrets to give you clarity and a depth of understanding to some of the previously unanswered questions of life.

He has translated the important, yet complex work of philosophers, psychologists, scientists, and other pioneers in this field into an easy-to-understand format with ideas that can be applied to everyday life. Trettenero has taken the essential aspects of their work, simplified it, and has created a new matrix that connects the dots to better explain how and why people do what they do.

Master the Mystery of Human Nature helps you learn about yourself, others, and how the world works because of our differences. Conflicts will take on an entirely new meaning; things that used to be a mystery, will make sense. It will help you experience a sense of calm and freedom once you see the beauty and wonder of how our human nature reflects the balance of power in Nature and the ways that duality shapes our every experience on this earth.

"This is a deeply thoughtful and carefully written book. It provides an unusually practical set of tools for understanding self and evaluating others. Thank you Scott Trettenero for writing a book everyone needs to read." – Robert E Quinn, PhD, Margaret Elliot Tracy Collegiate, Professor in Business,, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Author of Deep Change 

About the Author:

Dr D Scott Trettenero has maintained a solo dental practice in SW Florida since 1981. His research on service quality in dentistry and his interest in human temperaments formed the basis for his first book, Unlocking the T-Code. He is married and has two children.

Author Website: Master the Mystery of Human Nature

Author Interview:

1. What inspired you to write the book? 

My marriage was a major part of my inspiration, being that she was my complete opposite in every way possible.  Learning to deal with our opposing values opened up new ways of thinking for me.  I did some research in service quality when I discovered Dr Robert Quinn's Competing Values Model of Business that really put some of the pieces of the puzzle together for me. It was a passion for me to put it all down on paper.

2. When did you realise that you want to write a book? 

I co-authored a number of articles for some dental journals and discovered I had interest in writing.

3. Who helped you in writing the book and please say about their contributions?

First and foremost I would have to acknowledge my friend and mentor George Scott who taught me so much about writing and style.  Next, Dr Quinn's research opened up a new way of thinking for me which helped me to formulate my ideas for this amazingly neglected aspect of life.

4. How is your book going to inspire the readers? 

Learning about the self should be everyone's priority if they desire all that life has to offer them.  Then learning about how others do what they do is very enlightening.  Then understanding how our conflicts are created by our inherent competing values opens a new world of possibilities.

5. If you are given the chance to change one thing in your book what would it be?

Possibly some more visuals.

6. How do you find time to write and which part of the day is best for writing for you?

I don't do two things which allows me time; I don't play golf and I don't drink.  (Not that I am condemning those activities.)  They just take up a lot of one's time.  I usually write during my lunch hour at work.

7. Which books have inspired you the most, in the journey of writing this book?

Napoleon Hill's Law of Success, Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Please Understand Me by Keirsey and Bates and The Course In Miracles.

8. What is the best advice, you would give for writers who are trying to write a book? 

Patience, persistence and determination.

9. What are your hobbies? 

Exercising, reading, and boating.

10. What can we expect from you in the future? 

I have another book formulated in my mind. I think it will be titled, Finding Trust in the Process: The True Meaning of Love.